Health Behavior Change hints and tips
If you like what you find below, be sure to sign up for our free wellness quote that will be emailed to you daily and start making healthy behavior changes today! _________________________________________________________________ The key to attaining better health is to develop a strategy to incorporate healthy decisions into daily life. _________________________________________________________________ As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world. . . as in being able to remake ourselves.Mahatma Gandhi _________________________________________________________________ Making positive lifestyle changes can add years to your life. One study of Harvard alumni found that those who stopped smoking lowered their mortality rate by 41%. Those who began a moderately vigorous exercise program lowered their mortality rate by 23%. _________________________________________________________________ Laughter is inner jogging. _________________________________________________________________ Science has now proven that people who are happier live longer than people who are not. Happy people also have fewer illnesses and make more money. To learn more about happiness go to: www.authentichappiness.org _________________________________________________________________ Do you hate waiting at the doctor's office? Next time, request that your appointment is on a day when you can be the very first patient the doctor will see. _________________________________________________________________ A solid exercise and nutritional program is among the most important ways to reduce stress levels. _________________________________________________________________ Are you at risk for serious illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, or strokes? A 'predictive modeling' system will soon be on the market that will be able to calculate the odds of you being at risk. If you want a preview of what this predictive modeling system will do, go to www.biosignia.com. _________________________________________________________________ Nothing tastes as good as looking good feels. _________________________________________________________________ Visualize with feeling everyday about the person you want to become. See yourself as being that person NOW. Your brain will take what you visualize and help you create it. _________________________________________________________________ A power down hour will help ensure a good night's sleep. One hour before bedtime, prepare your body for rest. Spend 20 minutes doing light chores that must be done so you will sleep better (pack book bags, make lunches, do NOT do heavy cleaning), spend 20 minutes on personal hygiene and 20 minutes reading or meditating. If you only have 30 minutes, do each of these activities for 10 minutes. _________________________________________________________________ Did you know plain club soda in a spray bottle makes an excellent glass cleaner? You can safely clean your house with non-toxic homemade cleaners for a fraction of the cost of chemical cleaners. _________________________________________________________________ It is best not to start an exercise program while trying to alter your diet dramatically. If you do, chances are you will fail at both. Initially exercise is more important than diet for losing weight. _________________________________________________________________ Science has shown that having a TV or computer in your bedroom interferes with sleep. Even when they are turned off, they emit a negative sound and disrupt sleep and energy levels. Bedrooms should be a place of peaceful retreat to support quality sleep. _________________________________________________________________ A sign of healthy skin is not a lack of wrinkles but a good elasticity. As we age, we lose collagen and elasticity. Use natural products so that skin pores will not become clogged. To improve skin elasticity and look younger, ensure you are well hydrated with fresh water, consume healthy fats such as fish oil or olive oil and do daily facial movements (move all the muscles of your face). _________________________________________________________________ Most people breathe rapidly and shallowly. To increase your oxygen intake during the day, take at least one big deep breath every hour. Notice how much better you feel. _________________________________________________________________ To achieve health, you must focus your mind on health. See yourself as healthy, fit, and energetic NOW. _________________________________________________________________ There is a direct correlation between a lack of fitness and back problems. _________________________________________________________________ Winners take full responsibility for everything that happens to them - even when those things seem remote and are not directly attributable to their actions. To achieve superior health, you must take 100% responsibility. _________________________________________________________________ A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that low intensity exercise such as bicycling, walking, or swimming, can increase the speed at which the body utilizes excess fat. If you overindulge on high fat food while on vacation, make sure to keep doing your low intensity exercise. _________________________________________________________________ The more you praise and celebrate life, the more thereis in life to celebrate.-Oprah Winfrey _________________________________________________________________ According to the World Health Organization, if you used tanning parlors as a teenager or in your 20's, your risk for Melanoma (a form of skin cancer) is increased by 75%. There is no healthy tan according to Dr. Karen Burke a researcher at Mount Sinai Medical Center. _________________________________________________________________ If you are having difficulty keeping your motivation high to achieve your health and fitness goals, you may want to create 3 x 5 cards that have a supportive saying on them to read whenever you need a boost of motivation. _________________________________________________________________ Focus on what you want in life. If you have trouble discovering what you want, just evaluate what you do not want and change it to what you want. For example if you do not want to be overweight, change it to I want to be fit, healthy and at my ideal weight. _________________________________________________________________ It is natural to be healthy. Our body does whatever it can to be in a state of health. If you support your body with health promoting choices, your body will respond. _________________________________________________________________ Do NOT postpone JOY! What you think about and how you feel has a profound effect on your body and immune system. _________________________________________________________________ The sound of the ocean is good for helping you fall asleep,but a babbling brook or running water sound might make you go to the bathroom more frequently during the night. _________________________________________________________________ Laughter is an important key to health. Laughter can alter your internal chemistry from negative to positive, releases tension, shifts your perception so you can center yourself and makes life more enjoyable. Consider watching a good comedy instead of the news before bedtime and notice how much better you sleep. _________________________________________________________________ It is best not to need an alarm clock to wake you up. Adjust your bedtime until you wake up naturally just before your alarm clock goes off. Adults require between 5-10 hours of sleep a night. You will need to discover the proper amount for your body. _________________________________________________________________ According to the Academy of General Dentistry, flossing is just as important as brushing for teeth and gum health. Flossing helps remove the debris and plaque that stick to teeth and gums in between the teeth. It also helps control bad breath and polishes the tooth's surface. Water picksand electric flossing are not as effective as manual flossing. Floss at least once a day. _________________________________________________________________ Viewing a computer screen for several hours during the day may lead to eyestrain. Some tips to reduce the effects of eyestrain include: take eye breaks, change pace, blink often, consider using artificial teardrops, practice relaxation and have appropriate eyewear. _________________________________________________________________ Obesity in children is a growing problem. To help your kids stay healthy and fit, model healthy behaviors, encourage them to join age appropriate activities, have fun with fitness, and go on family hikes or bike rides. _________________________________________________________________ A key to getting in shape is determination and consistency. Notice how your body responds to exercise and truly enjoy all the benefits of exercise. The more you focus on the benefits the easier it will be to motivate yourself to stick with your fitness plan. _________________________________________________________________ Listening to a song that inspires you within the first few moments of waking up each morning will help get your day off to a good start. _________________________________________________________________ Asking questions is a great way to uncover your own answers. For instance, ask yourself: How can I improve my health and enjoy the process? As the answers come to you, jot them down in your journal and decide which ones you want to try. _________________________________________________________________ It is best to get a new mattress every 7 – 10 years. Mattress weight will double in size from perspiration, oils and dust mites. _________________________________________________________________ Do NOT exercise when you are sick especially with fever. When you are sick your body needs to spend all of its energy healing itself. You will not derive benefits from exercising when you are sick and you may even slow your recovery. _________________________________________________________________ If you read before bedtime, it is better to read with a book light so you are not exposed to bright light before sleeping. _________________________________________________________________ Did you know the skin is the largest organ in the body? It is responsible for 25% of the body’s daily detoxification. _________________________________________________________________ To help keep the skin moist, avoid skin-care products with alcohol and petrolatum and drink plenty of fresh water during the day. _________________________________________________________________ Dry skin brushing for 5 minutes daily will transform your skin and aid in the detoxification process of your body. Use a natural skin brush to remove dead skin cells and open up skin pores. _________________________________________________________________ To keep skin clean, cleanse twice daily with a gentle soap-free cleanser. Do NOT scrub; use your fingertips or a wad of cotton to prevent damaging skin cells or breaking capillaries. _________________________________________________________________ To truly achieve vibrant health you must know why you want it. Take time today to write down at least 20 reasons why vibrant health is important to you. Review your list every day. _________________________________________________________________ “Just by switching from a bad lifestyle to a healthier one, one can expect to add as much as 14 years to their life.” Dr. Lester Breslown, UCLA _________________________________________________________________ Messy, unorganized spaces can drain your energy. For a quick energy pick up, set a timer for 15 minutes, clean, and organize your space during that time, like a race. _________________________________________________________________ A moment of silence before meals will prepare your body to accept the nutrition from the foods you eat. _________________________________________________________________ Fun, joy and laughter create health. If what you are doing is not bringing you joy, find something else that will. _________________________________________________________________ According to a Harvard research study, flowers do brighten your day. People who kept fresh flowers in their home felt more compassionate, happier and energetic. _________________________________________________________________ A study at the University of Kansas found that donatingblood regularly reduces the heart attack risk in men. _________________________________________________________________ For a non-toxic kitchen cleaner, fill a plastic flip-topshaker container (re-use parmesan cheese container) halffull of baking soda and add 15-20 drops of a pure essentialoil, then fill shaker to the top with baking soda and shake well.
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